PREVIEW
A pair of clubs who share common origins renew their rivalry when the San Jose Earthquakes play host to the Houston Dynamo on Sunday evening at Buck Shaw Stadium. Both teams come into the game coming off away defeats – the Earthquakes falling 1-0 at Seattle Sounders FC last weekend, while the Dynamo started their road trip with a 2-0 loss at D.C. United on Wednesday evening.

The Dynamo have won the last three meetings between the teams, including a 2-0 victory last March 30 at BBVA Compass Stadium in their only encounter.

The two teams have shared a pitched rivalry since the Earthquakes returned to the league in 2008, after the Dynamo moved to Houston from San Jose in 2006. They had split their season series in each of the first four years after the Quakes’ return before the current Dynamo winning streak.

HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo began their two-game road swing with a defeat, dropping a 2-0 decision to D.C. United on Wednesday evening at RFK Stadium. The Dynamo are in a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference with 17 points from 13 games.

LAST MATCH

United opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Fabian Espindola shield a defender away on the right flank and headed upfield, before playing a cross-field ball to Chris Rolfe at the top of the box. Rolfe skipped past Houston defender David Horst after a series of cutbacks before slotting home past an outstretched Tally Hall.

The lead was doubled in the 64th minute as United's strike pair again teamed. Espindola ran onto a well-played ball from Rolfe out of the United half, before using a stepover to elude a defender in the left side of the box. His left-footed strike skimmed just to the left of Hall and into the back of the net.

Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made one change to the team that defeated the LA Galaxy 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Omar Cummings came into the team to replace international campaigner Boniek Garcia.

With four losses from six road matches, the Dynamo have the most away defeats in MLS (along with FC Dallas).

“I thought the response was good after halftime and we came out and kept the ball and move the ball better and created some chances,” Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “We told the guys we’ll put a team together and go to San Jose and do something positive and let’s look forward instead of looking behind us.”

The Dynamo will continue their two-game road swing shorthanded, after striker Mark Sherrod had to come off the field injured after just 12 minutes. Sherrod was making his third consecutive start, scoring two goals and adding an assist in those initial MLS starts.

“I think mentally, Mark’s going down and getting stretchered off got to us a little bit and it took us a while to get going,” Kinnear said.

Said defender Corey Ashe: “Two mistakes, you know, they punished us for them. They came out, they were organized and they kind of set the tone and obviously doesn’t help with the injury to Mark. But credit to D.C., they came out, they stuck to their plan and they put their opportunities away.”

In addition, Brian Ownby, who making his seventh appearance (all as a substitute) and was a candidate to move into the first XI, was sent off just before full time and will be suspended.

With Boniek Garcia away on international duty with Honduras, Omar Cummings filled the wide midfield on the right flank.

“I played it many times for the [Jamaican] national team, and it’s a position I like but haven’t played for a while,” Cummings said. “So it’s just getting that role in mind and what you have to do.”